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However, the increasingly large-scale integrated circuits that led to microprocessors were largely defense driven: missiles, etc.
by rjurney 13y ago
However, the increasingly large-scale integrated circuits that led to microprocessors were largely defense driven: missiles, etc.
- InclinedPlane 13y agoNot "largely" but rather "initially". IC development was probably accelerated by missile development, but it's difficult to say by exactly how much.
- abalone 13y agoHere's a quick overview of the history of ICs. It gives many strong examples of how DARPA propelled their development and decisively rescued the U.S. industry from Japanese competition -- definitely a large role. There's really not a lot of controversy about the massive role that DARPA and other agencies play in American high tech. http://www.longviewinstitute.org/projects/marketfundamentalism/microchip http://www.longviewinstitute.org/projects/marketfundamentali...
- InclinedPlane 13y agoHold on, so you're arguing that DARPA "rescuing US industry from Japanese competition" is proof that the technology absolutely required government investment to advance it? Need I really demonstrate the fault in that logic?
- pyre 13y agoI don't know if it affects this case, but I know that the Japanese government was doing a lot to prop up their companies, so it's possible that "Japanese competition" isn't entirely private sector.
- abalone 13y agoYou just shifted the goalpost ("absolutely required"). The logically fallacy is yours. I merely claimed a "massive role," which is accurate.